Vertical sit-up exerciser

ABSTRACT

A vertical sit-up exerciser includes a hydraulic cylinder mounted at a post; a support unit including a sliding tube on the post, a bent bar having an upper end affixed to the sliding tube, a flat seat pivotably connected to a lower end of the bar, and a link having both ends pivotably connected to the seat and a lower end of the post; and a foot fastening unit including two pairs of linking members each having a lower end pivotably secured to the bar, two leg rests each pivotably secured to the lower ends of the linking members of the same pair, two foot engagement members each pivotably secured to upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, a connection member having either side pivotably secured to the upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, and a member for locking the foot engagement members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to exercise equipment and more particularly to a vertical type sit-up exerciser with improved characteristics.

2. Related Art

Vertical sit-up exercisers are well known. However, the prior vertical sit-up exercisers suffered from a number of disadvantages. For example, a user may feel discomfort or even pain due to small contact areas with the feet. Further, it is not safe if the user is not physically strong. Furthermore, it is inconvenient in use. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vertical sit-up exerciser comprising a frame including a post and a base; a lift mechanism mounted on the post and including a controller and a hydraulic cylinder mounted at the post and electrically connected to the controller; a support unit including a sliding tube sleeved on the post, a bent bar having an upper end fixedly connected to the sliding tube, a flat seat pivotably connected to a lower end of the bar, and a link having both ends pivotably connected to the seat and a lower end of the post respectively; and a foot fastening unit including two pairs of linking members, each linking member having a lower end pivotably secured to the bar, a pair of parallel leg rests each pivotably secured to the lower ends of the linking members of the same pair, a pair of parallel foot engagement members each pivotably secured to upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, a connection member having either side pivotably secured to the upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, and a locking member extended downward from the connection member; wherein prior to beginning an operation of executing a sit-up using the exerciser, the back of a user is adapted to lie on the seat with the calves rested on the leg rests and tops of the feet secured to top ends of the foot engagement members by the locking member pressed on the foot engagement members such that operating the controller in a first half cycle of the sit-up will move the hydraulic cylinder upward along the post to lift the bar until being stopped with the seat pivoted counterclockwise from a horizontal position to a vertical position, the link pivoted clockwise a predetermined angle, and the arms of the user moved to dispose in a vertical position; and in a second half cycle of the sit-up will move the hydraulic cylinder downward along the post to lower the bar until being stopped with the seat pivoted clockwise from the vertical position to the horizontal position, the link pivoted counterclockwise the predetermined angle, and the arms of the user moved to dispose in a horizontal position.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of vertical sit-up exerciser according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a fastening of the foot engagement members by the locking member after resting the feet on the foot engagement members; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side elevational views showing a user executing a sit-up using the exerciser in FIG. 1 respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a vertical sit-up exerciser in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an I-shaped vertical frame 1 including a post 11; a lift mechanism 2 mounted on the post 11 and including a controller 21 for user manipulation, a control box 22 electrically connected to the controller 21, and a vertical hydraulic cylinder 23 mounted at the post 11 and electrically connected to the control box 22; a support unit 3 including a sliding tube 33 sleeved on the post 11, a bent bar 31 fixedly connected to the sliding tube 33, a pivotal member 32 formed at a lower end of the bar 31, a flat seat 321 formed on a top of the pivotal member 32, and a link 34 having both ends pivotably connected to an underside of the pivotal member 32 and a lower end of the post 11 respectively; and a foot fastening unit 4 including two pairs of linking members 47, each linking member 47 having a lower end pivotably secured to either hole of the bar 31, a pair of parallel leg rests 46 each pivotably secured to the lower ends of the linking members 47 of the same pair, a pair of parallel foot engagement members 41 and 42 each pivotably secured to upper ends of the linking members 47 of the same pair, a parallelepiped connection member 43 having either side pivotably secured to the upper ends of the linking members 47 of the same pair, and a locking member 44 extended downward from the connection member 43.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 3, an operation of the invention (i.e., a user executing a sit-up using the exerciser) will be described in detailed below. A user lies his back on the seat 321 with his calves rested on the leg rests 46 and the tops of his feet urged against top ends of the foot engagement members 41 and 42 (see FIG. 4). The calves are fastened by lowering the locking member 44 to press on the foot engagement members 41 and 42. Next, the user may operate the controller 21 to activate the hydraulic cylinder 23 through the control box 22. The hydraulic cylinder 23 then moves upward along the post 11 to lift the bar 31 until being stopped. At the same time, the seat 321 pivots counterclockwise from a horizontal position (see FIG. 4) to a vertical position (see FIG. 5) with the link 34 pivoted clockwise a small, predetermined angle. Also, the arms of the user move to dispose in a vertical position. This completes a half cycle of a single exercise.

In an immediate next half cycle of the single exercise, the hydraulic cylinder 23 then moves downward along the post 11 to lower the bar 31 until being stopped. At the same time, the seat 321 pivots clockwise from the vertical position (see FIG. 5) to the horizontal position (see FIG. 4) with the link 34 pivoted counterclockwise the predetermined angle. Also, the arms of the user move to dispose in a horizontal position.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. A vertical sit-up exerciser comprising: a frame including a post and a base; a lift mechanism mounted on the post and including a controller and a hydraulic cylinder mounted at the post and electrically connected to the controller; a support unit including a sliding tube sleeved on the post, a bent bar having an upper end fixedly connected to the sliding tube, a flat seat pivotably connected to a lower end of the bar, and a link having both ends pivotably connected to the seat and a lower end of the post respectively; and a foot fastening unit including two pairs of linking members, each linking member having a lower end pivotably secured to the bar, a pair of parallel leg rests each pivotably secured to the lower ends of the linking members of the same pair, a pair of parallel foot engagement members each pivotably secured to upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, a connection member having either side pivotably secured to the upper ends of the linking members of the same pair, and a locking member extended downward from the connection member; wherein prior to beginning an operation of executing a sit-up using the exerciser, the back of a user is adapted to lie on the seat with the calves rested on the leg rests and tops of the feet secured to top ends of the foot engagement members by the locking member pressed on the foot engagement members such that operating the controller in a first half cycle of the sit-up will move the hydraulic cylinder upward along the post to lift the bar until being stopped with the seat pivoted counterclockwise from a horizontal position to a vertical position, the link pivoted clockwise a predetermined angle, and the arms of the user moved to dispose in a vertical position; and in a second half cycle of the sit-up will move the hydraulic cylinder downward along the post to lower the bar until being stopped with the seat pivoted clockwise from the vertical position to the horizontal position, the link pivoted counterclockwise the predetermined angle, and the arms of the user moved to dispose in a horizontal position. 